Interval timer construction



Se t. 1, 1953 K. K. NEUMANN INTERVAL TIMER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed July 6, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Aviva/Mfrs.

p 1953 K. K. NEUMANN 2,650,466

INTERVAL TIMER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed July 6, 1946 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Kari 1% N -Mal?- Patented Sept. 1 19 53 Original. application July 6; 19316,, v Serial No.

UNITED ST OFFICE 68.1;7'40. Divided. and this' applicationDecen'rher 22; 1950, Serial No. 202,290

(Cl. Stir-21 .1331),

2::Glaims. 1,

Thepresent invention relates to timers of the type which are used to timethecycle of operation of anyapparatus suchas a stove, washing machine, orthelike, and which are operative either to initiate or terminate an operating-cycle after a predeterminedtime-intervalontoactuate the signal device for-the guidance-of the operator;

Thisapplicationisga division of my copending application for United'States Letters 'Patent, Serial No. 681,740; filed July' 6, 1946; for Timer Construction.

One object of thejpresent invention is toprovide an improved construction in, which all of the operating-elementsare enclosed-within casing means sealingthenr against dirt and-foreign matteh.

Another object of; theinvention is to provide an1improvedconstruction: including an improved hammer element and means for mounting it to maintain the casingsubstantially sealed.

Other objects and advantages-of the invention will become apparent 'fromthe following specifi'cation, the accompanying drawings; and the appended claims;

In the, drawings:

Figure 1 is a; sectional-view of theimproved timer mechanism;

Figure 211s a sectional view similar to Figure 1, in:which parts are broken away to-show the actuator: and the hammer levermechanism;

Figure 3'isa sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 2; taken substantially-along the line 3 -3thereoi;

Figure e-is arear view of the timer with the casing removedto show. the mechanism carried on the rear side of'the rear movement plate;

Figure5 is a fragmentary sectional view ofthe structure of Figure 1, taken substantially along the line 5 -5 thereof; and

Figure 6' is a fragmentary sectional'view of the structure of Figure 5 taken substantially along the line 6"Ethereof.

Inasmuch as the type of timer to which the present invention relates may, to a large extent,

be conventional in construction, only so much of:

the details OfI'COIlStIIlCtiOIl are shown as are necessary to fully understand the features of the,

present invention. For further details of" one suitable type of timer-to which the present invention relates, reference may be had to thempending application of Rex C. Darnell, Serial No. 659,764, filed April 5, 1946, now- Patent No. 2,577,004, granted December 4, 1951; It issufiicient to notethere that-the mechanism ordinarily comprises a casing containing any suitable form 2% of clock: mechanism mounted between apair-of movement: plates in the usual; manner and a spring operated signal actuating devicewhich. is cooked when the timerg is set: to-lthe desired:tim.=-

-' ing cycle-- and which, when tripped, either: rings a bell onoperatesan electrical switch'or both;

In: thety pe of timer construction towhichathe present invention relates, the main arbor oft-the. clockwork provided with a: manual control knob and" the arrangement is such that when the arbor is rotated' invone'direction. from'azero or: starting" position, the signaltactuatoris :cocked. The: rate' of 'return of fthe-arbor'to startingl'posi tion is: controlled by'the clock: mechanism, and the: actuator is tripped: upon return off-the arbor to-star-ting: position, thus: operating a signal; an electricalswitch on other suitable devicel Referring: to Figures l and 3 of the drawings; the mechanismof the present invention is shown incorporatedina timer havingaclock mechae nismcarried by: and" between a pair of movement plates Strand I 2. The-clock:mechanism includes a main arbor l4 suitably journaled for rotation With-respect to the movement plates; As in the construction of F the above mentioned P application of Rex- C; Darnell; the present mechanism includes a mounting plate l3; described'ingreater detail-therein; and'whi'ch similarly provides the front bearing 'for the arbor 14', at the-point indicated by thenumeral lfi to relieve the movement'platesof strains incident to manual operation of thearbor. The arbor" I4 is connected inthe'usual mannerthrougha train of' gears 'to a" verge-type escapement comprising an escape wheel lfi' a verge arml8; and a balancawheel-ZG carried by a balance-staff- 22. The ends-ofthe balance' wheel staff 22" are tapered and fitted into conical bearings in=a bearing insert M cahried by movement plate 10 and an adjustable plug 26 which is threaded into a suitable-opening in=the movementrplateJZ; as best shownin-Fi'gureeSc A mainspring- 28;: shown in- Fig-ureaB, is associated with the arbor 14 and normally tends to rotate the=arbor in a counterclockwise directioncasviewedi in Figures l and* '2; under-control of? the escape mechanism andassociated" gear trainrinzthe usual manner;

As best shown in-Fi'gure 4; theadjustable-plugi 6 which-carries the bearing for one-endof the balancestaff' 2 2 is normally-held againstrotation bya wire-spring 30, one end of which issecured' to' th-e'movement plate I2 as-by-hooking a-reversely turned portion thereof into a peripheral notch 32 formedin l the movement plate, and theotlier end of which engages one of the posts 34 by which the movement plates are connected together, to maintain an intermediate portion of the spring 36 in engagement with the adjustable plug 26 and exert a sufficient pressure thereon to substantially increase the frictional force resisting rotation of the plug. The pressure exerted by the spring 36 is such that the frictional force may be readily overcome when it is desired to adjust the plug 26, while at the same time the frictional force is sufiicient to prevent rotation of the plug as a result of the vibration incident to normal operation of the timer and associated apparatus.

The mechanism of the timer which operates the signal or a controlled switch is best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and comprises a shaft 36 which is journaled with respect to the movement plates l and I2 and has fixed thereto a bell crank lever indicated generally at 38, and provided with a pair of arms 40 and 42, best shown in Figure 2. As best seen in Figure 3, arm 40 is provided at its extremity with a stub shaft 44 carrying a roller 46, which is normally urged inwardly toward the arbor M by means of a spring 48, shown best in Figures 1 and 2. The bell crank 38 is positioned between the movement plates, but the pin 44 projects through an arcuate slot 56 in the movement plate l2 and the roller 46 is located rearwardly of the latter movement plate in position to cooperate with a cooking and tripping mechanism, shown best in Figure 4.

As there shown, the cooking and tripping mechanism comprises a latch 52 which is pivotally mounted on the rear movement plate l2 by a pin 54 and which has a large elongated opening 56 centrally thereof adapted to loosely fit the rearwardly projecting end of the arbor l4 and permit limited pivotal movement of the latch 52 about the pin 54. The latch 52 is urged in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 4 by a spring 58 and has an upwardly projecting arm 60 adapted to engage the roller 46 carried by the arm 40 of the bell crank 38. One side wall of the arm 66 has a portion 62 extending generally radially of the pin 54 adapted to engage the roller 46 when it is in the start or tripped position illustrated in full lines in Figure 4. A second wall portion 64 is disposed generally at right angles to the wall portion 62 and adapted to support the roller 46 when in the cooked position illustrated in broken lines at 66. A third wall portion 68 is adapted to cam the roller 46 from the cocked position 66 to an over-stop position illustrated in broken lines at 16, upon pivotal movement of the latch 52 in a counterclockwise direction from the cooked position. The arm 66 is also provided with a rearwardly projecting annular flange H for a purpose hereinafter described.

The rearwardly projecting end of the arbor I4, extending through the opening 56 in the latch 52, carries a cam disk 12 having a generally radially extending arm 14. One side wall 16 of this arm, affords a sloping cam adapted to engage the roller 46 and raise it from the tripped position to the cocked position indicated at 66, upon rotation of the arbor M in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4. The opposite side wall of the arm 14 carries an integrally formed inwardly turned flange 18 adapted to engage the rearwardly turned flange H, upon continued rotation of the arbor l4 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4, to pivot the latch 52 in a counterclockwise direction and hi raise the roller 46 to the over-stop position indicated at 10.

When the roller 46 is raised to the over-stop position 10, a full wind stop 80, which is mounted on the bell crank 38 engages the verge arm l8 to interfere with the operation of the escapement mechanism and prevent operation of the timing mechanism in the manner more fully described in the above identified copending application of Rex C. Darnell.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the above described cooking and tripping mechanism relieves the main arbor of the timer of the frictional load incident to holding the actuator in cocked position and affords mechanical stops limiting rotation of the arbor beyond the over-stop position, in one direction, and beyond the zero or tripping position in the other direction. In the present construction the load is carried by the movement plate l2 through the pin 54 and the latch 52 and the mechanical stops are provided by the engagement of the arbor with the latch at the ends of the opening 56 as is more fully described in connection with the following description of the operation.

The above described cooking and tripping mechanism operates in the following manner. A control knob, not shown, which is mounted on the arbor 4 at the front of the timer mechanism, is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of the timer, thereby rotating the arbor E4 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4. The cam plate 12, which is secured to the arbor I4, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction raising the roller 46 along the cam surface 76 to the cocked position indicated at 66. When the roller 46 is raised clear of the wall portion 62, the latch 52 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction by the spring 58 to a position in which the roller 46 is supported on the wall portion 64 of the latch. Rotation of the control knob in the same direction is continued until the desired time interval is set into the timber mechanism or until the flange 18 on the cam plate 12 engages the flange H on the latch and pivots the latter to the over-stop position described above. Pivotal movement of the latch, and hence the arbor, beyond the over-stop position is limited by the mechanical stop afforded by the engagement of the arbor and the latch at the right hand end of the opening 56 as seen in Figure 4.

Upon release of the control knob, or upon manual movement thereof from the over-stop position, the arbor I4 is returned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4, by the main spring 26 acting through the clock mechanism. Upon return of the arbor to the zero or start, position, the flange 16 on the cam disk 12 engages the flange 7 l formed on the latch to pivot the latch to the tripping position permitting the actuator 38 to be quickly rotated to the tripped position by the action of the spring 48. Continued pivotal movement of the latch by manual rotation of the arbor beyond the zero position is limited by the mechanical stop afforded by the engagement at the arbor and the latch at the left hand end of the opening 56, as seen in Figure 4.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, the bell crank actuator 68 is employed to operate a lever 61 which, in the illustrated form of the invention, operates a bell hammer 82. The hammer lever 8! is pivotally mounted on the shaft 36 and has a lost motion connection to the arm 42 of the bell crank by reason of a pair of bent up tongues 84 and 86 formed on the arm 42 which act to limit relative movement between the lever 8! and the arm 42. A wire spring 88 encircles the shaft 36 and has its ends connected respectively to the lever 8| and to the arm 42 of the bell crank 38 as is shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. The spring 88 acts to normally hold the hammer lever 8| against the bent up tongue or stop 84 on the arm 42. However, when the bell crank 38 is tripped by the tripping mechanism, the arm 42 makes a sudden sharp movement in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, thus throwing the hammer lever 8| away from the stop 84 and causing an upwardly turned flange 90 formed on the lever ill to strike the bell hammer 82.

A cup-shaped casing element 92 encloses the rear of the timer, as best seen in Figure 3, and is secured to the mounting plate I3 by suitable fastening means 83. Referring to Figure 5, the bell hammer 82 is mounted in the casing and has a shank 84 extending through an aperture therein and an enlarged head 96 disposed outwardly of the casing. Adjacent its inner end the shank 8 1 has an annular groove 98 formed therein for mounting a leaf spring I88. The spring I08, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6 is arcuately shaped and has a keyhole opening I82. This opening has an enlarged portion I64, and a small portion I06 connected thereto by a reduced neck portion I 88. The opening I02 is also provided with longitudinally extending slots IIO communicating therewith which permit the neck portion I08 to be forced slightly open to permit the grooved portion of the shank 94 to be snapped through said neck I08 and engaged by the smaller portion I 86 of the opening. The ends of the spring I60 engage the interior of the casing to hold the head 96 of the bell hammer against the outer surface of the casing and thereby seal the opening against the entry of dust and foreign material.

The timer may be mounted in a bell H2 having a skirt which surrounds the casing and which may be engaged by the bell hammer head 86 to sound a signal when the bell hammer 82 is struck by the lever 8I as described above.

The actuator 38 may also be employed to operate an electrical switch. For this purpose one end II4 of the shaft 36 projects through movement plate I2 and the casing.

It will be noted that in the above described construction all of the parts are sealed within the casing. Only the bell hammer and switch control extend through the casing and they ex'- tend through closely fitting openings. For this reason the operating elements are free from dirt and foreign matter. Moreover, by providing a bell striking element which projects through a sealed opening in the side of the case, the advantages of a sealed casing embodied in the aforementioned application of Rex C. Darnell are retained, and in addition the rear of the case is unobstructed and a bell having a shorter skirt may be employed.

While only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is apparent that others are available within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A timer comprising a timing mechanism having a main arbor, a casing enclosing said timing mechanism and having an aperture through which said arbor projects from said casing, said casing also having a second aperture, a bell mounted on said casing, a movable actuator controlled by said timing mechanism and disposed within said casing, a bell hammer mounted on said casing and extending through said second aperture, said hammer having an enlarged head externally of said casing and a groove internally of said casing, a spring clip having an aperture adapted to receive the inner end of said hammer, said clip engaging said hammer in said groove and having end portions engaging said casing to yieldably urge said hammer inwardly of said casing and hold said head in engagement with said casing, said casing being otherwise entirely closed to seal the timing mechanism against dust and foreign material.

2. A timer as defined in claim 1 wherein said clip is arcuately shaped and said aperture in said clip has a keyhole type outline including a larger portion adapted to receive the inner end of the hammer, a smaller portion adapted to fit the hammer at said groove, and in intermediate neck portion adapted to be spread slightly during movement of the hammer from the larger portion to the smaller portion.

KURT K. N'EUMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 916,953 Lugrin Mar. 30, 1909 2,194,448 Rhodes Mar. 19, 1940 

